Latching mechanism



J. E. BALES El' AL LATCHING MECHANISM Original Filed Feb. 25

Patented Nov. 7, 1933 ori-ice LATCHING MECHANISM James E. Bales, Carl T. Christensen, John Hallberg, and John B. Adler, Aurora,-Ill., assignors to Lyon Metal Products, Incorporated, Aurora, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Original application February 25, 19?1,` Serial No. 518,088. Divided andA this application December 9, 1931. Serial No. 579,850A

5 claims. (C1. 292-175) Our present invention relates in general to latches and comprises subject matter divided from our co-pending application, Serial Number 518,088, filed February 25, 1931. `This invention more particularly refers to a latch especially adapted for drawers and the like, although it will be obvious that the invention hasV more general application and may be used wherever a cheap serviceable latch is needed.

Among the objects of our invention, is to provide a latch of unusual simplicity,V made of a minimum number of simple, cheaply and easily made parts, which can be readily assembled in operative position and which, though made of relatively iiimsy material, will adequately and serviceably perform the latch function for whichv it is designed. p

Another important object is to produce a latch mechanism entirely or cheap, sheet metal strips.

Still another object' resides in the actual features of construction and the structural expedients employed in producing the unusually simplified construction employed in the present invention.

Another important object of the invention resides in providing a latch mechanism adapted for assembly within the confines of the front panel of a drawer, specifically the drawer front in filing cabinets and the invention includes the features wherein the latch mechanism co-operates with the hollow panel forming the closure of the cabinet.

The invention further contemplates the advantages and improvements which arise in the production ci a cheap latch mechanism of the class described.

These and numerous other objects and advantages will be more fully understood from the following description, which, taken in connection Vwith the accompanying drawing, discloses a pre-4 ferre-:l embodiment of the invention. Y

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a cabinet, specifically a idling cabinet, having an Vopening provided with a closure member, to-wit, the front of the drawer, which closure is provided with latching means embodying our present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken substantially along the line 2 2 inY Figure l; and

Figure 3 is a perspective viewillustrating the ci the latching mechanism. l

To illustrate our invention, we have shown on the drawing the front of a filing cabinet 1l; comprising a vframe defining a drawer op'ening'l for receiving a drawer 15, the front panel 17 of which Vand the handle is preferably provided with the members behind the panel 25,

forms a closure forvthe opening 13 when the" f In the illustrated embodiment, lthe closure `member 17 comprises the front of the drawer 15 and is formed preferably of sheet metal panels 23 and 25, which intert together to form spacediront and rear wall portions dening therebetween a space 27 in which the latching mecha- `nism is assembled. AThe spacement between the wall portions 23 and 25 is preferably maintained by forming opposite flanges 29 at the edges of the panel 25, which flanges extend forwardly and 75 engage the inner surface of the front wall-23. The "V front and rear wall portion, forming the front wallV portion 17, also interlocks as shown at-31 with the forward edgesl ofthe wall and bottom of the drawer 15 in order to securely fasten the parts together. However, the particular construction of the drawer 15 and the front wall 17 thereof does not form a part of our present invention, which resides more particularly in the latch construction 21 and the manner in which it is assembled and supported in the closure member 17. The handle 19 is or may be of any suitable or preferred form and preferably has abutments 33 adapted to engage the front face of the panel 23 threaded portions S5 extending rearwardly of the abutrnents 33 through registering perforations 37 formed in the panels 23 and 25. A fastening nut 39 preferably is threaded on each of the threaded members 35 between the front and rear panels oi the closure member and the rearward panel is drawn down tightly against the nut or nuts 39 by means lof additional nuts 4l which thread upon The panel 25 also is preferably depressed inwardly, as at 43, 100 at and around the perforationi37 and the nut 41 so that the latter is received within the surface of the panel. A plate 45, provided with perforations 47 to receive thev threaded portion 35, is also mounted in the space 27 between the front and 105 rear panels 23 and 25, and is clamped against the rearmost surface of the front panel 25 by the nuts 39. This plate andthe front panel have-registering slots 4 7 near one armofthe handle anda formed latch operating ymember 49, having a 110 linger piece 51, is mounted on the plate with its finger piece portion extending outwardly through the slots 47 to a position substantially within the zone of the handle 19 as shown in Figure 2 of the bar 59, the other end of which extends through in the space 27 to the edge of the closure member 17 where it passes through a slot 61 and extends outwardly of the compartment 27, the outwardly projecting portion of the latch member 59 forming a detent 63, which projects slightly beyond the side of the closure member in position to engage a struck-out lug 65 formed on the frame defining the opening 13 immediately behind the position occupied by the panel 17 when the same is in closed position. We prefer to form the lug 65 in an outwardly pressed part 67 formed in a channel shaped, member 69, which in turn is received within a rearwardly opening fold 71 formed in the frame 11 at the opening 13.

It will be seen therefore that the latch comprises the actuating member 49 which slides on the plate 45 and which has a finger piece extendl ing forwardly of the panel 23 and the latching member 59 to which the actuating member 49 is secured by crimping the lugs 55 through the perforation 57.

The latch member 59 is normally urged toward j latching position, that is to say, toward the right of the plate.

can also the supporting plate 45.

in Figure 2, and toward the left in Figure 3, by means of a resilient member 73 comprising a simple coil of spring wire, which is coiled in a loop intermediate its ends, one of which is connected to the latch bar 59 by being bent and inserted through a perforation 75 formed therein, and the other end of which is secured to the plate r45 by being assembled in a loop or hook 77, which is formed by punching out and offsetting a portion The spring 73 is further sustained in operating position by having its looped portion encircling a struck-out portion 79 formed in the plate 45.

From the foregoing, it will be obvious that the entire latching mechanism is mounted on the plate 45 and that it consists of a minimum number of extremely cheap and readily produced parts, the actuating portion 49 of the latch bar 59 can be formed as simple sheet metal stampings', as

The only remaining part being the spring 73, which is of the utmost simplicity and therefore extremely cheap and easy to make.

In spite of its cheapness and simplicity, the

' parts are substantial and serviceable in operation, the latch bar 59 being laterally supported not only at the front 61 but also at the point where it passes the studof the handle 19, the same being slightly offset to permit the latch engaging portions to extend past the handle stud while permitting the latch locking piece 51 to remain in the Zone of the handle. It will thus be seen that the latch bar is slidably supported by the spaced wall portions 23 and 25 and is normally urged toward latching position by means of the spring 73,

It is thought that the invention and numerous of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form,-construction, and arrangement Of. the SGV- eral parts without departing from the spirit or scope of our invention or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages; the form herein described being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. The combination with means forming a cabinet having an opening, and a closure for said opening, and a handle for said closure comprising an arm connected to the closure and a grasping portion spaced from said closure, of means to latch the closure in the opening comprising a plate carried by the closure member, a latch bar slidably supported on the plate, said plate and closure member having registering perforations, and a finger piece formed on the latch bar and extending through the registering perforations in position spaced from'the arm of the handle sufficiently to permit free insertion of all the fingers of an operators hand between the arm and the finger piece Without jamming, said finger piece extending within the zone of the arm and grasping portion and lying between the grasping portion of the handle and the front of the closure andv shftable in the direction of said grasping portion, resilient means carried by said plate and cooperatively associated with said latch bar to normally urge it on the plate toward latching position, said latch bar having a latching tip extending to an edge of the closure in position tocooperatively engage the edges of the casing at the opening thereof and means formed in the closure for receiving and guiding the latchking tip of the latch bar.

ing arms connected to both panels to supportl the same in spaced apart relationship, of latch means carried by the closure and comprising a plate supported by the arms of said handle between the spaced apart panels of said closure and a shftable latching element carried by said plate. v

3. A closure comprising spaced apart panels forming the front and back of the closure, a perforated support, a shftable latching member mounted on the support, a finger piece extending through a perforation of the support, and means carried by the support resiliently urging the latching member toward one of its shifted positions, and a handle for said closure having spaced legs connected to both panels to support same inL spaced apart relationship, said legs being received by the perforated support whereby to carry said support between said panels with the finger piece projecting through one of the panels adjacent one leg of the handle so that a person grasping theV handle between the finger piece and the remotely located leg of the handle will force the finger piece toward the adjacent leg and thus actuate the latch.

4. A closure comprising spaced apart panels, a handle having an arm connected to both panels to support the same in spaced relationship and a grasping portion-carried on said arm in front of the closure, latch means carried by the closure and comprising a support mounted on said arm between the panels, a shftable latching element on said support and a latching tip projecting beyond the marginal edges of said panels, a finger piece shftable on said support having a portion e projecting through a perforation in one of the panels adjacent the arm of the handle, said finger piece being operatively connected to move the latching element.

5. A closure comprising spaced apart panels, a handle having an arm connected to both panels to support the same in spaced relationship and a grasping portion carried on said arm in front of the closure, latch means carried by the closure and comprising a support mounted on said arm between the panels, a shiftable latching element on said support and a latching tip projecting 

